Machines



(No Modem 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

P. G. BABOOOK.

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR WOOL UARDING MACHINES.

No. 320,205. Patented June 16, 1885.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. P. G. BABGOGK. FEEDING MECHANISM FOR WOOL GARDING MAUHINES. No. 320,205. Patented June 16, 1885.

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ATTORNEYS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

S H N T H O A M G N I m KA O0 0 M A m .F M .S M A H G E M G N TL D E E F (No Model.)

RW 00 00 1 6 1 e n u d e t n B t a P INVENTOR:

WITNESSES M u u "I u u u u u "U AN ATTORNEYS.

Mr. Washingtom 04 c;

Snares Farntrr firemen.

FRANK G. BABCOGK, OF DRYDEN, NE\V YORK.

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR WOOL-CARDING MACHINES.

QFEOIEICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 320,205, dated June 16, 1885.

Application filed March 26, 1884.

.T 0 CL whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, FRANK G. BABCOCK, of Dryden, in the county of Tompkins and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Feedin illechanism for \Vool-Oarding lliachines, of which the followingisafnll,clear, and exact description.

This invention consists of a wool-feeding machine more especially intended for feeding wool to first-breaker cards, wherein a uniform feeding of the wool is effected by mechanism arranged to yield or diminish in distance of movementto overaccumulation or packing of wool upon the feeding web or apron, and to antomatically increase in distance of movement, as required, to mat the wool evenly upon the feeding web or apron.

The invention also consists of mechanism arranged for causing the lower feed-roller to automatically throw out of action the upper feed mechanism when the lower wool-box is over-supplied with wool, and also to automatically set the upper feed mechanism again in action when the surplus wool in the lower box is worked off.

The invention also consists of the construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, all as hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a side elevation of my new woolfeeder. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a side elevation opposite to that shown in Fig. 1, and a portion of a carding-machine. Fig. 4: is a detailed sectional elevation of a part of the machine, taken on the line a: x of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a full sectional elevation taken on the line y y of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a detailed sectional plan view taken on the line a z of Fig. 1; and Fig. 7 is a plan view of one of the packing or feed rollers detached.

The frame or housing A of the machine is so constructed as to form the primary woolbox B and thelower or secondary woolboX,O.

In the upper portion of the lower WOOl-bOX, O, is journaled the toothed beater D, which, being revolved by the belt E, (shown in Figs. 2 and 3,) beats the wool from the primary WoolboX B down into the secondary wool-box G, the wool being fed to the beater D mainly by (No model.)

the rotary reciprocating toothed roller F and the endless traveling apron G, which latter forms the bottom of the primary wool-box B, the feed being assisted by the roller H, journaled above the toothed roller F, and the two rollers H H, j on rnaled back of the roller F, to and between which the teeth f of the roller F pack or force the wool.

From the secondary wootbox O the wool is carried to the carding-machine 1 upon the endless apron l, contained in the frame I, and caused to revolve or travel by the pinion i of the upper roller, 1 over which the apron passes, meshing with a gear-wheel, 3, on one of the feed wheels or rollers 2 of the carding machine, the wool being fed in an even and uniform mat from the box 0 to and upon the endless apron I by the lower toothed feedroller, F, which is precisely similar in construction to the roller F, and, like it, is given a rotary reciprocating motion, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 5.

The wool after leaving feed-roller F is compressed upon the apron I by passing under roller J, which receives continuous rotary mo tion from roller 1* through belt j, passing over small pulleys a a, secured upon the shafts or gudgeons of the rollers 1 J, respectively, as shown in Fig. 3. Motion is imparted in this instance to the operative parts of the feedingmachine by a belt coming from any suitable motor and passing over the pulley K,attached to one end of the power-shaft K. (Shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 2.)

The shaft L, which is geared to the powershaft K by the gear-wheels M N so as to receive continuous rotary motion, is provided at one end with the crank a and cam b and at the other end with the crank c, placed loosely upon the shaft, and with the sliding clutchblock (1, which is attached to the shalt by means of a spline connection or feather, and is adapted to be moved automatically upon the shaft L by mechanism hereinafter described, this mechanism being adapted to be i set in action by the camf secured upon the shaft or gudgeon of the feedroller F, for locking the crank to and releasing it from the shaft L, for automatically throwing the feed mechanism in the primary wool-box B in and out of action.

To the crank a on said shaft L is attached one end of the connecting-rod O, which is slotted at its lower end, as shown at e, and is connected by a pin, e, to the crank P of shaft P, the pin 0 entering the slot 0, as shown in Fig. 3. The crank P is longer than the crank a, so that when the shaft L is revolved the shaft P will receive a rotary reciprocating motion in its bearings, and this motion of the shaft P is communicated to the feed-shaft F in the lower wool-box, C, by means of the segmental rack Q secured to the shaft 1?, which rack meshes with the small pinion f, secured to the shaft or gudgeon of the feed-roller F. The pin 6 is held normally in contact with the upper end of the slot e by the spring B, so that when the feed-roller F is not materially resisted by over-supply of wool in the woolbox 0 it will be turned through its maximum distance of movement forward and backward with each revolution of the shaft L, which maximum niovementis ordinarily about threefourths of a complete revolution; but when the feed-roller F is resisted by accumulation of wool in the wool-box O or upon the apron I so that the resistance more than equals the minimum tension of the spring R, the feedroller F will move through a diminished distance, the crank P being drawnforward only by the action of the spring R; or if the resistance to the roller F equals the maximum ten sion of the spring R the feed-roller F will remain at rest; hence it follows that the distance of movement of the feed-roller F will vary according to the amount of resistance it meets in its forward movement at the time it forces the wool forward and packs it upon the apron I under the roller J. The tension of the spring B may be increased or diminished, as circumstances require, by adjusting the bolt r, to which the upper end of the spring is attached, up or down in a slot made in the connectingrod 0. r I

To the crank c on the shaft L is attached one end of the connecting-rod S. (Shown in Fig. 1.) The lower end of this rod S is slotted, as shown at s, and is connected by a pin,

8, to the crank T, secured to the shaft or gudgy con of the above-mentioned roller H, the pin 3 entering the slot 8, as shown in Fig. 1, and the crank T is longer than the crank 0, so that when the crank c revolves'with the shaft L a rocking or rotary reciprocating motion will be imparted to the roller H, and this motion of roller H is imparted to the upper feed-roller, F, in the primary wool-box B, through the medium of the segmental rack U, which meshes with the small pinion t, secured upon the shaft or gudgeon of the feed-roller F, so that this feed-roller has a rotary reciprocating motion like the feed-roller F, and, like the feed-roller F,its movementis made variable by the spring V, which is attached to the pin 8 and adjustable bolt 8', and is arranged to act in connection with the slot s and crank T in a precise'y similar manner that the spring R acts to permit the roller F to have a variable motion, so that the distance of movement of the roller F the clutch d, also imparts motion to the endless apron G, or rather the lower roller, G, over which the apron G passes, and from this roller G, through the train of gear-wheels g .h It and idler h, motion is also imparted to the rollers H H so that all the feed mechanism in the primary wool-box B depends for its motion upon the movement of the crank 0, such mechanism moving when the said crank 0 moves and remaining at rest when the crank remains at rest. In this instance the motion of crank c is communicated to roller G by means of the crank-shaft G", which is provided at its ends with the cranks g 9 and is rocked in its bearings by the crank 9, being connected to the connecting-rod S by the rod S, the crank g being connected to the pawl-lever W by the connecting-rod S", which rod, as the shaft G rocks, reciprocates said pawl-lever W, causing the pawl w thereof, acting in connection with ratchet-wheel w,secured to the shaft or gudgeon of the'roller G, to revolve said roller G intermittently, causing the apron G to travel intermittently for carrying the wool in box B to the feed-roller F; and this intermittent movement of the roller G also causes, as just stated, the rollers H H to revolve intermittently through the medium of said gearwheels 9 h h h for feeding the wool from feedroller F to the'rotary beater D.

The cam 12, secured upon the shaft L, as the shaft revolves constantly reciprocates the arm B, (see Fig. 3,) which is connected by rod B to the arm (3 secured to one end of the shaft their reciprocating movement by the horizontal arms at diattached to the post A of the frame A, between which horizontal arms d they are placed, as shown in Figs. 1 and 6.

E is a vertical shaft held in the bearings d d, secured to the post A of the frame A. This shaft E is provided near its upper end, in line with the clutch-block d, with the yoke or coupling E", which couples the shaft E with the said clutch-block d, as shown clearly in Fig. 2, and the shaft E at the lower end is provided with the cross piece or head (1, Figs. 1, 2, and 6, which is connected at its ends by the slotted links 2" z" to the ends of the T-lever J, which is pivoted at 9' upon the step j, secured to the post A of the frame A. To the T-lever J atj", and in front of its pivot 3' is attached the horizontal bar J which is formed with the offsets or shoulders f upon its upper and lower edges, respectively, and reaches between the vertical bars D D and between the pins i 2' thereof, as shown el early in Fig. 1.

Immediately below the rod or bar J is held loosely in suitable bearings the vertical rod K This rod is connected by a link. k", to one end of the lever N,which is centrally pivoted or fulcrumed at f and reaches back so that its rear end runs in contact with the under side of the above-mentioned cam f secured upon one end of the shaft or gudgeon of the lower feed-roller, F, as shown clearly in Fig. 1.

The cam f is formed with the enlargement f, the periphery of which is the same distance from the shaft or gudgeon of the roller F that the pin in the bar D stands above the pin 2' in bar D", and the cam f is so placed upon the shaft or gudgeon of the roller F that the enlargement f reciprocates the lever N with each rotary reciprocation of the roller F, the said enlargement being carried to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1,with the positive backward or rearward movement of the crank-arm 1?, caused by the movement of the conuectingrod O, and brought back to the position shown in dotted lines by the reaction of the spring B. This is the movement and action which the cam f has when the roller F is not resisted materially by the wool in the box C; but when it is materially resisted the roller will remain practically at rest, and the enlargement f" of the cam f remains in the position shownin full lines in Fig. 1,when the cam will not reciprocate the lever N, but will hold the rear end thereof depressed and its forward end correspondingly elevated. The reciprocation of the lever N will reciprocate vertically the vertical rod K which in turn, will raise and lower the horizontal arm J. The movement of the bar J is so timed relatively to the reciprocation of the bars D D" that the up per shoulder or offset, j, of the bar J will be raised in front of and also lowered out of line of the pin 13 of the bar D each time this bar D reaches and while it remains at the limit of its backward movement. The lower shoulder or offset, j, of the bar J will thus be caused to normally stand back of the pin i of the bar D, while this bar D remains at the limit of its backward movement.

The bar J being drawn backward in this position, (its normal position when the roller F remains unresisted,) so that, as just stated, the shoulderj stands back of the pin when the bar D reaches the limit of its rearward movement, the bar J will hold the horizontal bar J drawn backward, which will turn or hold the vertical shaft E so as to carry the yoke E outward away from the side of the machine, which will move and hold the clutchblock d in engagement with the corresponding clutch-block formed upon the crank 0, thus locking the said crank to the shaft L, causing it to revolve with the said shaft, thus causing the feed mechanism in the primary wool-box B to operate.

WVhen the roller F is resisted in its forward movement by the accumulation of wool in the wool-box C so as to stop the roller F, with the cam f in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1, the offset j will not drop down away from in front of the pin i of the bar D, but will be held up by the lever N and vertical rod K in front of the said pin until the bar D is brought forward by the walking-beam 0 This will cause pin i to come against offset j of the bar J and shove it forward, causing it to swing arm J forward, which movement, through cross-head d and links t" z", will turn the vertical shaft E so as to carry the yoke ll inward toward the side of the machine, which will slide the clutch-block d out of engagement with the clutch of the crank c, and thus release the said crank c from the shaft L, and thus throw the feed mechanism in the woolbox B out of action. This feed mechanism will now remain out of action as long as the feed-roller F is materially resisted by the accumulation of wool in the wool-box Othat is, as long as the roller is resisted, so that the enlargement f of the cam f does not move forward so as to reciprocate the lever N; but when, from the working off of the surplus wool in the wool-box O, the feed-roller F again turns through a considerable space and the cam f again reciprocates the lever N, the rod K will drop with the first upward movement of the rear end of the lever N, which will lower the bar J so that the lower offset,j,

thereof will come back of and in line with the pin of bar D while it is at the limit of its forward movement, so that its backward movement w ill cause pin i to shove the bar J backward, which will swing the arm J backward, and this movement, through cross-head d and links i i, will turn the vertical rod E so as to swing the yoke E outward again away from the side of the machine, which will slide the clutch d on shaft L so as to lock the crank c to shaft L, which will throw the feed mechanism in the wool-box B again into action, which will continue until the feed-roller F is again retarded by the accumulation of wool in the box 0, when the ungearing and gearing operation will be repeated automatically from the overaccumulation and subsequent working off of the wool in the lower wool-box, C. M is a coiled spring attached at one end to the arms 0 for holding the arm B constantly in contact with the cam b on shaft L, and M is a double-acting spring-holding rod attached at one end to the outer end of the horizontal arm J and at the other end to the frame of the machine in line with the pivot of the said arm J, so that when the said arm J is turned forward the rod will act to hold it in that position, and the rod will act also to hold the arm J, when drawn backward by the bar J ,to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6, as will be understood from that figure.

The action of the machine is as follows: The wool to be carded will be placed in bulk in the primary wool-box B. The feed-roller F,

rollers H H H an'dapron G, being in motion, will feed the wool slowly and evenly to the rotary beater D, which willbeat the wool down into the lower wool-box, O. From this box 0 the wool will be gradually packed by the feedroller F in a thin even mat upon the apron I, which carries thewool to the carding machine. The upper feed-roller F, having a Variable and yielding motion, yields to any irregular masses of wool that may come to it in box B, and thus causes the wool to be fed quite evenly to the wool-box O. In case, however, there is over-accumulation of wool fed. from the box B to box 0, the feed-roller F, acting through the mechanism above described, will throw the feed-roller F out of action, thus stopping the feed from the box B to the box 0 until the over-accumulation is worked off by the feed-roller F, when the feed from box B will be again set in motion, so that the quantity of wool in the box 0 will always be kept nearly uniform, and the feed-roller F, having a variable or yielding action, will yield come in contact with it in box 0, so that it will cause the wool to be packed upon the.

apron I with great uniformity, which is the object sought.

In some instances I shall employ the clearing-fingers h, attached to the back of the woolbox 0, for clearing the fingers h of the feeding roller F, as will be understood from Fig. 5.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with a Wool-box, an endless apron or web, and means for operating the same, of a feed-roller provided With fingers for matting the Wool upon the apron and means for imparting a rotary reciprocating motion to said feed-roller, substantially as described.

2. The combination, wit-h the wool-box O, the endless apron I, and means for operating the same, of the feed roller F, provided with fingers, and means for impartinga variable rotary reciprocating motion to the said feedroller, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the apron I, roller J, and means for operating said roller, of the feed-roller F and means for imparting a yielding rotary reciprocating motion to the said feed-roller, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with the primary woolbox B, the apron G, the rolls H H, and means for operatingthe apron, of the toothed roller F and means for imparting a rotary reciprocating motion to the said feed-roller, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with the primarywoolbox B, the apron G, the rolls H H", and means for operating the apron, of the feed-roller F, provided with teeth, and means foriinparting a variable rotary reciprocating motion to said feed-roller, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

c. The combination, with the toothed feedroller F and means for imparting a yielding,

rotary reciprocating motion to the said feedroller, of the endless apron G and means for operating the same, substantially as described. 7. The combination, with the wool-box B, the endless apron G, the toothed feed-roller F, and meansfor operating the apron and for imparting a rotary reciprocating motion to said feed-roller, of the feed-rollers H H arranged to operate substantially as described. 8. The combination, with the endless traveling apron G, feed-roller F, rollers H H, and means for operating the apron, of the roller H and means for imparting a rotary reciprocating motion to the said feed-rollers F H, as and for the purposes set forth.

9. The crank a, shaft L, crank P, shaft 1?, connecting-rod O, and means for operating said shaft L, in combination with the rack Q,

the feed-roller F',and pinion f, secured to the shaft or gudgeon of the said feedroller', and meshing with the rack Q for giving a rotary reciprocating movement to the feed-roller F, substantially as described.

10. The crank a, shaft L, crank 1?,provided. with pin 6, shaft P, and rod 0, provided with slot 0, in combination with rack Q and pinion f, and the spring R,arranged to normally hold the pin e of crank P at the upper end of the slot e, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

11. The crank c, the shaft L, crank T, and roller H, in combination with the connectingrod S, rack U, feed-roller F, and pinion t, at tached to the shaft or gudgeon of said feedroller for giving a rotary reciprocating motion to the roller, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

12. The crank c, shaft L, the crank T, provided with pin 8, roller H, and connectingrod S, provided with slot 8, in combination with the rack U, pinion z, and spring V, the spring being arranged to hold the pin s of crank. T in contact with the upperend of the slots in the connecting-rod S, substantially as and forthe purposes set.forth.

13. The combination, with the lower woolbox, 0, the Variable feed-roller F therein, the 1 upper wool-box, B, and the feed mechanism in the upper wool-box, of means, substantially as described, for automatically throwing the upper feed mechanism in and out of action according to the accumulation of wool in the box 0, and for reciprocating the feed'roller, substantially as set forth. A

14. The primary wool-box B, the shaft L, crank c, loose upon the said shaft, clutch-block d, and means for connecting said shaft with the feed mechanism in the primary wool-box, in combination with the feed-roller F, a cam, f, lever N,and.intermediate mechanism, substantially as described, for sliding the clutchblock :2 upon shaft L, for engaging and disengaging the clutch of the crank c and supporting and operating said cams, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

, 15. The bars D D provided with pins and means for reciprocating the said bars alternately in combination with the reciprocating lever N, vertically reciprocating rod K notched bar J the arm J, the vertical shaft E, the clutch-block d, the yoke E the cam f and the feed-roller F, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

16. The shafts C L, walking-beam O and means for imparting a rotary reciprocating motion to the shaft 0 from the shaft L, in combination with the vertical bars D D and connecting-rods d 01, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

17. The combination,with the double crankshaft G", the connecting-rod S, and means for imparting a rotary reciprocation to the said shaft from the rod S, of the traveling apron G, rollers H 11*, the lever WV, the pawl 10, the

its lower end, in combination with the pivoted T-lever J, the links 1" i, and intermediate mechanism for operating the saidlever J from the cam, substantially as herein shown and described.

FRANK G. BABCOOK.

Witnesses:

E. S. RooKWELL, GEo. M. RooKWELL, Yarns WEIDMAN. 

